TERRY Adams' taxi business was trapped in a cul-de-sac last week – all thanks to a dodgy insurance company.

Mr Adams runs First Call taxi hire in Chepstow but suddenly found himself forced off the road when he discovered his insurance company had gone out of business.

"I tried to contact them to add two more cars to my policy. It was then that I discovered they were not operating. I telephoned the police and then I received a call from them to say that the company was part of an 'ongoing investigation'," said Mr Adams.

But the hitch has put Mr Adams on the rack.

"We operate five drivers round-the-clock and wanted two more cars to take the fleet up to five. But because – through no fault of our own – we do not have a current insurance we have not been able to reinsure the cars," said Mr Adams.

Mr Adams had contacted Goldleaf Insurances Ltd, of Preston, through a trade magazine and had paid them £3,000.

"They have left me in the cart with all the cars off the road. Because there is no existing insurance companies will not reinsure. I am hoping for a quote but it is not looking good at the moment," he said.